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Just a day before a crucial mayoral debate before the San Diego Police Officers Association, candidate Nathan Fletcher on Monday released his plan for strengthening the department, recommending a reduction in employee health care expenses and more aggressive recruitment of officers.

A week earlier, City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, also running for mayor, offered up his plan for bolstering the police department, which has struggled in recent years to retain its most veteran officers and promising young recruits as other departments offer higher take-home pay.

Tuesday’s debate, the first to feature all four major candidates, is a run-up to the coveted endorsement by the POA, expected later this week. While Fletcher at one time had been expected to nab the endorsement, it’s now less certain who will win the officers’ backing.

Meanwhile on Monday, the number of mayoral candidates thinned, with the decision by historic preservationist Bruce Coons to drop out of the race and endorse City Councilman David Alvarez. Coons, executive director of the Save Our Heritage Organisation, was not picking up any significant backing from voters, according to several recent polls. In a letter to supporters posted on his campaign website, Coons said staying in the race would only hinder Alvarez’s candidacy.

His departure reduces the field of mayoral contenders in the Nov. 19 special election to 10. In addition to Fletcher, GOP-backed City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, Alvarez and former City Attorney Mike Aguirre are seeking to replace Bob Filner, who resigned at the end of August following a sexual harassment scandal. Mail ballots go out on Oct. 21.

Fletcher points out in his police department proposal that a five-year plan for rebuilding the force already exists and was presented last year to a City Council committee but was never voted on by the full council.

“We cannot wait any longer to shore up our police department,” said Fletcher, a Qualcomm executive and former state assemblyman. “As mayor, I will fully implement the plan’s recommendations, which were developed by SDPD management with the input and support of front line officers.”

By implementing the plan, as well as his own recommendations, Fletcher said his hope would be to cut officer attrition in half and add 160 new officers to the department by 2016.

Accelerating staffing levels at a faster rate than what is called for in the five-year plan pleases POA President Brian Marvel.

• Reduce out-of-pocket health care expenses and restore holiday pay officers previously gave up. The cost of increasing non-pensionable take-home pay would be partially offset by less attrition, which lowers the expenses associated with new hires.

• Explore cross-training officers to act as recruiters and offer overtime pay for assisting in recruitment.

• Partner with other law enforcement agencies to establish a regional training center separate from the academy at Miramar College where recruits are currently trained.

• Improving public safety infrastructure will be a top priority, as will be upgrading equipment needs of the department.